Crews demolish 710 Freeway ramp to make way for Gerald Desmond Bridge replacement

Crews prepare for the demolition of the 710 Freeway ramp by protecting rail lines from falling debris, as part of the project to replace the Gerald Desmond Bridge Friday.
Sean Hiller — Staff photographer

LONG BEACH >> Crews this Memorial Day weekend began demolishing the middle section of a 710 Freeway connector ramp, work that is expected to continue until July.

The work is being done to make way for a new bridge to replace the aging Gerald Desmond Bridge, a major connector linking Terminal Island and the 710 Freeway to the nation’s trade system. Nearly 15 percent of the nation’s waterborne cargo travels on the bridge, according to Port of Long Beach officials.

Since the port broke ground in January 2013, crews have been relocating utilities, removing old casings and properly capping wells buried deep in an old oil field. Now, crews are preparing the land to build the new bridge’s foundations.

The Gerald Desmond, built in 1968, has been slowly deteriorating over the years as more cars and trucks carrying containers filled with goods cross the bridge. Nets, or diapers, had to be attached to the bridge to catch falling debris.

When completed in 2016, the new bridge will be taller to accommodate larger ships and will feature additional traffic lanes, separate bicycle paths and pedestrian walkways.